Air-inlet device



`VI H. VAN SANT.` AIR INLET DEVICE.l

Y APPLICATION man senza, E919. 1,342,193.-

Patented June 1, 1920.

. 2f 2,0 @man Mm! @wir N L mum-nu VICTOR H. VAN SANT, OF NE'ABK,v NEW JERSEY.

AIR-INLET DEVICE.

Application filed September 23, 1919.

To all'whom it may concern:

Ie 1t known that I, Vieron I-I. VAN SANT, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Newark, county of Essex, and State ofv New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in AirfInlet Devices, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to an improved device for controlling the admission of air through the sides of a pipe to increase the amount of air in such pipe, said pipes being actuated and controlled by the velocity of the fluid passing through the pipe.

In order to make Vthe description of this invention clear, it is described as applied to the intake mechanism of an internal combustion engine, as this is the location for which it was primarily designed, but it is, of course, applicable to other situations where it can be used to advantage. The description herein being directed toward its use m conjunction with an internal combustion engine, it will be described as applied preferably at a point between the intake manifold of the engine and the outlet of the carbureter, where the air and the gasolene that have been mixed are passing to the engine.

It is well known that as the speed of the -engine increases, the suction also increases,

but the flow of gasolene and the 'How of air do not increase in the same proportion, as the flow of gasolene from the jet of the carbureter increases under increased suction faster than the iow of air, .and in this way as the velocity increases the mixture grows richer, which, of course, causes a waste of fuel.

My invention is designed to provide a device which is actuated by the velocity of the fluid passing through the pipe or conductor, which device admits air when the velocity is arriving at a predetermined speed, and as the speed increases beyond this point air 1s admitted to the mixture in-increasing quantities to overcome the suction on the jet of the carbureter and to also feed to the engine the proper proportions ofy air and gasolene.

The invention is designed to provide a device of this kind which acts as above and which is adjustable so as to regulate the amount of additional air to be fed through the air inlet valve of the device at a given velocity of the mixture in the main pipe.

The invention is further designed to providea device of this kind that also acts as a mixer` to more intimately associate the' Specification of Letters Patent.

Serial No. 325,688.

gasolene and the air, which, of course, conduces to better combustion and more engine eiliciency.

The invention can be placed in the manifold of an engine, can be made as part of lthe carbureter or it can be made. as a sepa rate element to be inserted between any carbureter and any form of manifold, this latter form being illustrated in the drawing to make the construction of the invention clear.

In said drawing, Figure 1 is a section of the device with the mixer shown in elevation. Fig. 2 is a bottom View of the device shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the device turned upside down to clearly illustrate the construction underneath. Fig. 4c is a detail section of the inlet air valve. Fig. 5 is a section of the end of the intake manifold and of the outlet of the carbureter with the device shown in elevation, and Fig. 6 is a detail view showing a modified form of inlet air valve.

In the drawing, 10 indicates the tube, and for the purpose of a clear understanding I will call it the intake manifold. 11 is the outlet pipe of thecarbureter, 10 and 11 together forming a pipe or pipeslike conductor, the pipe 1l being shown equipped withthe usual butter-fly valve 12, which controls the amount of mixture passing through the pipe. In the pipe I place an element which Patented June 1, 19.20.

is mounted so that it can be rotated by the fluid passing through the pipe, this element 13 having the amount of movement controlled by the velocity of the Huid, and it can be of any suitable form to permit such actuation, the form shown comprising a device that is helical, having the vanes 14, usually two, made ofv a suitable pitch so that there is no material checking of the fluid through the pipe, but acting to swirl the mixture so that it is more thoroughly mixed.

This movable element or mixer is suitably supported, in the form shown this being done by providing'a spider or bar 15 in the casing 16, which casing can be made of substantially flat form and adapted to fit between the elements 10 and 11, having the projecting parts 17 which receive the bolts 18, which bolts also hold the parts 10 and 11 together, and having the interior'passage or channel 19 which is substantially in register with the interior of theintake mani-` fold and the outlet of the carbureter.

An air' lvalve is installed. to admit air to the inside of the pipe, in the form shown this air valve comprising,` a valve casing 20, into Which the valve 2l is placed to control the passage of air through the air valve., To bring` about such control the valve 2l is illustrated as beine` seated on the outlet port 22 of the valve casing 20. The valve stem 23 is connected to the valve and operated from the mixer. ln the type illustrated, the crani 2l is connected to the stein 25 ot' the mixer and the end of th valve stem is connected to the trani; so that when the crank is moved, the valve 2l is moved. The air valve has suitable inlet ports such as 26A.

A yielding means is installed ifor normally holdingy the movable element or niizrer against motion so as to insure its not being moved when the velocity o? the ituel in the pipe is low, and the spring; 2i' embodies one means lor so yieldingfly holding' the device in normal inoperative position, said spring; 2T abutting' on the bach' oli the ral 7l, f, Y a screw 2h is placed on the end ol the casing to torni au abutment For the oY end of the spring` 2, and also permits a regulation of the tension of the spring.

It ivill be evident from this descrilvition that fluid passing in a sloiv velocity through the intake pipe of the engine will not eperate the mixer 13, but when the velocity oit the fluid passes beyond a certain point it is suliicient to rotate the mixer agrari influence of the spring 2T, and wh point is reached, the connection between the mixer and the valvev causes the valve to be pushed open, this opening' inci aside' as the velocity increases, so that air can pass through the inlet valve into the conductor or pipe 10, thus acting?r to maintain the proper ratio of the flow of gasolene to the 'lievi' o? air.

In Fig. 6 I shoiv a modified form oit inlet valve, in this 'form the inlet valve casing; 29 having; aA valve which is pulled 'in-- stead ot pushed to open it, the va 23 extending; beyond the valve. rl`h|s valve has a single port 8l. exteninir througijh it and has a spring' 32 on l bears on the adjusting' nut illand against the valve casing to yieldingfly hold the valve stem and its valve against opening below a predetermined velocity ol mixture pesi-ingr through the main pipe or conductor.

It Will be evident that minor chanpges can be made in the construction and location olf the parts Without departing from the scope ot the invention, and l do not Wish to be limited to the partcula :form et device shown.

I claim:

l. A device ot the class d ,scribed comprism ing a pipe for conducting' Fluid, an elemei'it in the pipe, said element beine' rotatable by fluid passing through t` e pipe, and means for yieldingly holdingi4 the element against rotation, said means including a valve to admit air to the pipe.

A device of the class described comprising a pipe tor conducting lfluid, an, element in the pipe7 said element being-i' rotatable by i'iuid passing' through the pipe, an air inlet valve connected to the element, and yieldingn means 'for holding' the element against rotation.

3. ll device of the kind described comprisine' a pipe, a mire in the pipe and secured so that it can be rotated by fluid passing through the pipe, an inlet valve to admit air into the pipe, a spring to hold the valve shut, and connection between the valve and the mi Y, whereby the rotation oi the mixer is limited and the mixer actuates the valve against the intuence oil'V the spring'.

il. lli device o? the liind described comprisiup; a pipe-like conductor tor a fluid, a pivoi'cd mixer mounted so as to be moved on its pivot by the iluid passing througijh the conductor, a crank ou the pivot, a vulve casing with inlet and outlet ports, a valve to control the passage through the ports, and a valve stem connecting the valve and the crank.

5. lfdevice of the lrind descril'ied comprisingl a pipe-lilac conductor ttor a fluid, a pivoted mixer mounted so as to be moved on its pivot by the fluid passing through the conductor, a crank ou the pivot, a valve casing; ivith inle"y and outlet ports. a valve to control the passage through the ports, a valve stein connecting` the valve and the crank, :uid a spring* to normally hold the valve in closed position.

(i ii device ot the kin d described coinpig'ising); a easiiip', a helical mixer centrally and rotatably supported in the casing, a cranlc connected to the mixer, a valve casing having); an outlet port opening' into the main casing :i valve in said outlet port oit the valve casing-g'n a valve stein ou the valve and coni'iei'iled to the crank, and a spring' in the to vieldine'ly hold the valve shut.

l il device ol the 1sind described comprisingi a casing, a helical initier centrally and rotatably suiriporl'ed in 'the asinpj, :i crank connected. to the m'izeiu a valve casing' havingr an outlet port opening' into the main casing'n a valve in said outlet port of the valve casing'. a valve stem on the valve and connected to the eranlr` a spring; in the valve casing' to yicldinpglv hold the valve shut, and a screw in the end of the valve casing, said spring' abutting' on the screw.

,in testimony that l claim `the 'foregoingA l have hereto set mv hand this 28th dav oi iniqua, wie.

liTlC/Ttlll, ll. lili-tbl SANT, 

